Can holder



C. M. PHIPPS Nov. 1, 1955 CAN HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 zag lb 20 Filed April 17, 1953 Z 3 Z 2 V mam C. M. PHIPPS Nov. 1, 1955 CAN HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17, 1955 IN! TOR.

(OE/V51 was m PZ/AQ'UJ BY w CAN HOLDER Cornelius M. Phipps, Neenah, Wis., assignor to Marathon Corporation, Rothschild, Wis., a corporation of Wiscousin x Application April 17, 1953, Serial No. 349,462 4 Claims. Cl. 229-40 This invention relates to a can holder for packaging a plurality of cans or the like as a unit.

The holder is formed from a single blank of paperboard or the like cut, scored and glued to form suitable panels and retaining elements for the individual cans. The holder is adapted to form a convenient unitary package enclosing two or more cans. The cans can be readily inserted in the holder and are securely retained therein. The holder can be printed on its exterior exposed portions with suitable brand names, indicia or advertising as desired for display purposes in stores. The holder can be manufactured at low cost and is adapted to be collapsed and shipped in flat collapsed condition to the user. It is easily set up for insertion of the cans. It requires a. minimum amount of board stock for manufacturing same.

Other advantages and further details of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank for forming a two-can holder,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the can holder made from the blank shown in Figure 1 in folded and nearcollapsed condition,

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the holder, with a detail thereof enlarged and shown in cross-section, made from the blank shown in Figure 1, and having a single can retained therein,

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the holder with two cans enclosed,

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified blank for making a modified can holder,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the can holder made from the blank of Figure 5, partly broken away, to show the insertion of a can therein,

Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 6 showing the three cans in place, and I Figure 8 is a perspective view of another modified can holder made from a single blank for retaining six cans.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the can holder is made from a single blank A of paperboard or the like, suitably cut and scored to provide a plurality of successive hinged panels 10 to 16. The blank A is suitably folded to assume the relationship of the panels as shown in Figure 3, the panel 16 being overlapped and adhered to panel 12 and the free end of panel 10 being overlapped and adhered to panel 14. The blank as folded and glued can be folded as shown in Figure 2 toward the collapsed condition for shipping purposes prior to use.

In the set up holder (Figures 3 and 4), panels 11, 13 and 15 constitute spaced side panels for engaging the sides of cans 5 retained between them, and opposed panels 10, 14 and 12 constitute end panels for retaining the ends of cans 5. The end panels 10, 12 and 14 are provided with pairs of opposed can-locking tabs each of which is formed by a curvilinear cut line 21 terminating at its ends with transverse cut lines 22.

2. Lines 22 form the side edges of tabs 20. Thetabs are adapted to be folded toward their respective end panels 10, 12, 14 on hinge lines 23. It will be noted that the tabs 20 are arranged in opposed pairs and they are adapted to engage opposed portions of the chimes 6 at each end of the cans 5 as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

In using the can holder, the partially-collapsed holder as shown in Figure 2 is set up to assume the right-angular position shown in -Figure 3, in which the holder is in the form of a sleeve having two opposed open ends or faces.

The tabs 20 are then depressed manually or by any suitable mechanical means so that the tabs 20 extend inwardly as shown in the right-hand portion of Figure 3.

- between the side panels the leading out side edges 22 of the tabs 20 will engage the exterior edges of the chimes 6 of the cans and thereby cause the tabs 20 to be bent backwardly toward the respective end panels from which they are formed to assume the position shown in the lefthand portion of Figure 3 and in Figure 4.- After the leading cut side edges 22 pass over the chimes 6 the tabs 20 will, due to the natural resilience of the paperboard, tend to snap back into extended position (right-hand portion of Figure 3) and thereby cause the curvilinear cut edges 28 of tabs 20 to engage the interior edges of the chimes of each can, thereby locking each can 'in position, tabs 2t) being restrained from returning to the extended position by contact with the ends 7 of cans 5. The curvature of cut line 21 and of course cut edges 28 is prefl erably complemental with ,the, curvature of the can chimes 6 so as to assure secure engagement.

It will be noted that cut lines 22 are inclined toward the adjacent side edge of the blank, as those lines lead away from hinge lines 23, and in the holder-erected position these lines are inclined to the respective adjacent open ends of the sleeve, to provide portions of tabs 20 remote from hinge lines 23 lying closer to the adjacent sides of the blank and open ends of the holder than the portions adjacent the hinge lines. This insures that the portion of tabs 20 at the intersection of lines 21 and 22 will be the first to contact the sides of the cans adjacent their chimes as the cans are inserted into the erected can holder. Thus, the'cans will act on the tabs 20 at the point where the closest leverage may be exerted on the tabs to bend them back into the position necessary to permit entry of the cans into the holder.

It will also be noted that in view of the manner of folding and adhering the ends of blank A, a continuous surface is provided on the exposed outer surface of the can holder so that any advertising, indicia, or brand names can be printed on all exposed panels at the same time without requiring reversal of the blank and a second printing operation.

It will be apparent that it is possible to utilize the novel features of my invention to provide a can holder for packaging 2, 3, 6 or more cans. For example, in Figures 5 to 7, a modified construction is shown wherein a single blank B is suitably cut and scored to produce panels 39 to 48 inclusive. The panels are folded and adhered together as shown in Figure 6 to produce a holder for packaging three cans. The end panels are provided with pairs of opposite can-locking tabs 20 having a construction similar to that illustrated in Figure 1. It will be noted that panel 42 is provided additionally with a circular cut-out opening 50 for the purpose of permitting access to panel 46 positioned therebeneath so as to permit the depression of tabs 20 in panel 46 prior to inserting the cans 5 in the holder (Figures 6 and 7).

A further modification of my can holder is illustrated in Figure 8, wherein the can holder is made of a single Patented Nov. 1-, 1955 blank, suitably cut and scored to provide panels 60 to 68 inclusive. The opposed end panels are similarly provided with opposed pairs of hinged can-locking tabs 20 having the same construction as the tabs 20 shown in Figure l. The upper panel '62 is provided with cutout portions 70 and 71 to permit depression of tabs 20 in panel 66 therebeneath in the assembled holder, prior to inserting the cans. The side panels 61 and 63 may be provided with cut-outs 75 to provide means within which the fingers may be inserted for carrying the package.

It will be evident from the foregoing description, in which several possible changes of the illustrated embodiments are suggested, that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the principl'es of the invention, and it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbefore' shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and that the invention be limited only as required by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1'. A holder for a plurality of chime-ended cans and the like comprising a single blank cut and scored to provide a plurality of hingedly connected panels, a first opposed pair of said panels being arranged to snugly embrace the ends of the cans, a second opposed pair of said panels connecting the ends of said first pair, said panels forming a sleeve having two opposed open ends, said first opposed pair of panels being provided with pairs of hinged can-locking tabs adapted to lockingly engage the interior of the chimes of said cans, said looking tabs being formed by cut lines and hingedly connect'ed to said first opposed pair of panels and adapted to extend inwardly thereof, the hinge lines of said tabs lying substantially parallel to said second opposed pair of panels and substantially perpendicular to the open ends of the sleeve, the side edges of said locking tabs adjacent the open ends of the sleeve being adapted to engage the exterior of the chimes of the cans being inserted into the holder through one of said open ends and the locking tabs being adapted thereupon to be bent backwardly toward said first opposed pair of panels upon such engagement and then to spring back and engage the interior of the chimes of the inserted cans in locked relation thereto.

2. A holder for a plurality of cans and the like as defined in claim 1, wherein the can-locking tabs are provided with curvilinear cut edge portions intermediate the side edges of said tabs, said curvilinear cut edges being complemental to the interior of the chimes of the cans and adapted to contact the interior of said chimes in locking engagement therewith.

3. A holder for a plurality of cans and the like as defined in claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the sleeve is continuous so as to present a continuous single References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,656,960 Carruth Oct. 27, 1953 

